Onajide Shabaka, He bathed in the river's floral scent, 2020, Archival ink photographic print (edition of 5), 13.25 x 20 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Becoming Tomorrow’s Dream: Onajide Shabaka
Location: Wasmer Art Gallery
Dates: January 23– February 19, 2026
Artist Talk and Reception: Thursday, January 22, 5:30–7:30pm
Jazz Combo Concert: New compositions inspired by the work of Onajide Shabaka, Wasmer Art Gallery:
Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 6:30–7:30pm (A Creative Connections collaboration between the Art and Music programs)
Can we bring a place out of obscurity and expose it to renewed scrutiny? A promising starting point is to delve into its intricate history. Uncovering the hidden history of a place is akin to finding a way back into the place-world, allowing us to savor the rebirth of place even on the most resistant terrain.
In this exhibition, we embark on a temporal journey, speculating about the people, places, and times of the 1850s to the present. Born before the end of US enslavement, Shabaka’s paternal grandfather and other family members migrated to St. Lucie County around 1920. They carried with them tales of lives filled with hope, redemption, and reconciliation.
Onajide Shabaka’s artistic endeavors are deeply influenced by a fusion of historical and biographical content, particularly drawing inspiration from the southern United States population comprising African and Native American descent. Additionally, his practice incorporates elements reminiscent of Florida’s unique ecology, which holds profound significance in relation to the history of medicinal plants and folk healing practices.
Sponsored by Gene and Lee Seidler, the Wasmer Endowment, WGCU Public Media, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
